


Photosynthesis

by scarfy36



Series: Bats and Foxes [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic, Batman - All Media Types, Green Lantern - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22171405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarfy36/pseuds/scarfy36
Summary: “I’m a little bit surprised it’s not a cave,” Kyle says, looking around Jason’s safehouse. “Or at least a basement. I thought it was a Bat Rule or something.”Kyle visits Palmetto to get Jason's help on a case.
Relationships: Kyle Rayner & Jason Todd
Series: Bats and Foxes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595902
Comments: 16
Kudos: 519





	Photosynthesis

**Author's Note:**

> Set roughly between chapters 5 & 6 of Oh Brother
> 
> Title is after the song Photosynthesis by Frank Turner because of these lyrics: _"My angry adolescent days are done, and I’m happy and I’m settled in the person I’ve become, but that doesn’t mean I’m settled up and sitting out the game: time may change a lot but some things they stay the same”_  
>  also because I'm sure there's a joke somewhere about green lanterns and plants and photosynthesis

Jason spots him the moment he leaves his class. It doesn’t take long for Matt and Renee to notice him too. It’s not a big campus and Kyle Rayner makes no effort to blend in, looking every bit the New York artist in his leather jacket, vintage sunglasses and nineties band tee shirt.

“You know, I didn’t believe it when I heard it, but here we are.”

“Rayner,” Jason says in greeting.

“Jason Todd at college,” Kyle continues. “Of all the bats to go straight, I wouldn’t have picked you for it. Tim, maybe, but not you.”

“And yet here we are,” Jason shrugs.

“You know this guy?” Matt asks, eyeing Kyle warily. 

“Old friend,” Jason explains. Matt nods, still looking unconvinced. 

“We worked together,” Kyle adds.

Jason rolls his eyes. “Can we do this over food? I’m starving,” he says, leading the way to the dining hall. Kyle, Matt and Renee follow him. 

Kyle sits down opposite Jason at the table, staring while Jason eats his lunch. After a few moments of deep concentration Kyle claps his hands and exclaims in realisation. “I knew there was something different about you! You dyed your hair.”

“Good observation,” Jason rolls his eyes. Again.

“I thought it was your natural colour. What colour was it before?” Renee asks.

“It was - y’know, answering that involves a really long story. I’ll tell you another time, sorry Renee,” Jason answers before Kyle can open his mouth.

“It’s okay,” Renee says gently, then turns to Kyle. “You said you worked with Jason, what is it you do, Kyle?”

“This and that,” he shrugs. “I’m a freelance artist, graphic designer, among other things.” 

“You draw, Jason?” Renee asks, surprised.

Jason shakes his head. “No, it was the ‘other things’ we worked together on.” He draws finger quotes in the air around the words. 

“That reminds me, Jay,” Kyle says, changing the subject before Renee can ask any more questions. “I need your help with a case.”

“So that’s why you’re really here?”

“Donna mentioned that you were here when I saw her last,” Kyle shrugs. “Mostly I came to see you at college for myself, but also I need some intel you can help me with.”

“What are you, a part-time cop or something?” Matt asks, clearly confused by Kyle’s strangeness.

“Something like that,” Kyle says vaguely.

“Space cop,” Jason says under his breath. To Kyle, he asks, “what makes you think I can help? I’m out of the business.” 

“I need to get in touch with,” Kyle glances around and drops his voice before saying the name, “Talia al Ghul.” He returns to his normal tone to continue, “I figured either you, Bruce or Damian would know how to reach her, and you’re a hell of a lot prettier that they are.”

“I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult,” Jason deadpans.

“I think it was a compliment,” Renee adds, unconvinced.

“I’ll owe you one,” Kyle pleads. “Do you know how to get in touch with her?”

“I’m going to need more detail before I set anything up, but yes. She called me last month so I should still be able to reach her on that number.”

“Did she mention anything unusual when you spoke?” Kyle asks.

“She just left a message.” Jason shifts uncomfortably in his seat and clears his throat. “It was the 27th so I wasn’t exactly up for conversation.” 

“What’s that date got to do with anything?” Kyle asks. His forehead creases in thought and Jason can almost see the cogs turning in his head as he tries to work out the significance of the date.

Jason sighs. “Ethiopia, six years ago. April 27th.”

Jason can pinpoint the moment Kyle realises what he’s referring to, his eyes widen and a frown pulls his mouth down. “Right, sorry.” Jason waves the apology away. “Is there somewhere-”

“I’ll text you an address,” Jason cuts him off. He doesn’t need his teammates wondering why he has a safehouse when he lives on campus.

“Thanks,” Kyle says. “I’ll explain more later, but if you can get me in touch with her you’ve saved me a trip to Gotham and an uncomfortable conversation with Bruce. He’s been avoiding me since he caught us together that time at your place.”

“Kyle!” Jason hisses, blushing slightly. 

Renee perks up at their exchange. “You two dated?”

“Calling it dating would be a stretch,” Jason says. 

“Your dad saw me in your underwear - only your underwear - sketching you naked. I don’t blame him for the assumption.”

“First of all, you don’t know that he knew it was my underwear-”

“They were Nightwing patterned, Jason. Why would they be mine?”

“Joke present from Donna?” Kyle looks at him with an unamused stare. “Fair point. But if Bruce avoided everyone who banged one of his kids he’d never get anything done.”

“Isn’t that his own fault for having so many kids? Don’t you have, like, 12 siblings?” Matt asks.

“Five, but you make a good point.”

\--

“I’m a little bit surprised it’s not a cave,” Kyle says, looking around Jason’s safehouse. “Or at least a basement. I thought it was a Bat Rule or something.” Kyle puts on a deep voice that Jason assumes is supposed to be an impression of Bruce, “all secret bases must be underground!”

Jason holds back his laugh, but the corners of his mouth quirk up into a smile that makes Kyle glow with pride.

“I’m out of the business,” Jason says more seriously. “Especially while I’m here. It would be stupid for me to be totally unprepared, though, so that’s what this place is for. ”

“A contingency plan, I get it,” Kyle nods.

“So, what’s Talia done that requires the attention of a Space Cop?”

Kyle rolls his eyes at the nickname and starts projecting information from his ring. “I’ve been helping Connor Hawke out on a case in Star City. Someone is using the League’s name to take over the heroin market.”

“I know they do some awful shit, but the League of Assassins don’t get involved in drugs.”

“Exactly what Connor said,” Kyle nods. “We think whoever is coordinating the dealers is using the League’s name to build their gang.”

“So you want to talk to Talia to find out if they are really working for the League? You know if they’re not really working for the League, they’ll be killed for impersonation.”

“You think the League don’t already know?”

Jason is impressed by the amount of thought Kyle has put into this case. “Then why interfere? Let the problem take care of itself.”

“Star City is teetering on the edge of a full-blown gang war. We can’t afford to wait for the League to strike,” Kyle says, frowning at the information in front of him. “If we can get to the imposters first, there’s a chance the Assassins won’t be able to find them to kill them.”

“You honestly believe that?”

“I have to.”

**Author's Note:**

> Send me prompts and ideas about what else you'd like to see @ cronanlynch.tumblr.com


End file.
